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60-yr-old man buys Pulsar NS400Z to get back to riding after 3 decades

28th July 2024, 12:10 by Utkarsh Chaudhary

I rejected multiple motorcycles like the KTM 390 Duke, Husqvarna Svartpilen 401, Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650, Aprilia RS 457 and Triumph Scrambler 400 X.

BHPian zenmaster666 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I did take a test ride around the 20th of June and decided to retain my booking. Got the bike delivered on the 3rd of July, but haven't ridden it a lot since then. My primary vehicle is an SUV, and since I'm retired, don't really have a daily commute to rack up the miles.

Before I give my thoughts on the bike, a little background if you'll indulge me. I'm within touching distance of 60 and it has been nearly 35 years since I last rode seriously. The last bike I owned was the Yamaha RD350 and my only experience with two wheels since then has been

Random short stints from the car workshops to my office (rides bummed from my team members - who'd come and pick me up or drop me from the various car service sessions)
Short day trips on step-throughs or low/mid-capacity motorcycles on recent vacations in Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. It's the last of these trips that ignited this desire to relive my glory days on two wheels, now that I've retired, and have some disposable income at my disposal.

The hunt started in May with a long list. Over time, YouTube views, test rides and 4-5 day rentals (from GoBikes), this was whittled down to these three - The Triumph 400 Speed, The RE Shotgun 650 & The Harley 440.

Following test rides, these bikes were rejected

KTM Duke 390 - a brilliant bike, but maybe just too aggressive for an old man like me. It also kept stalling at low RPMs for some reason.
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 - another fun bike, but it has spoke wheels only. I have a morbid fear of the consequences stemming from flat tyres on highways, having pushed my RD350 and a cousin's old Bullet for many kilometres back in the '80s.
RE Super Meteor 650 - a super stiff ride at the back with every jhatka transmitted directly to the tailbone.
Aprilia RS 457 - didn't ride it, but the posture was just too aggressive for this rather out-of-shape senior citizen when I straddled it in the showroom.
Triumph Scrambler 400 - found the lower seat height and riding posture of the Speed 400 better for my height and girth.
The BMW 310s - no way was I willing to pay a premium of a lakh (and more) just for the privilege of the propeller badge.

Meanwhile, the Bajaj NS400Z was launched.

My reasoning for booking it was as follows:

I'm no spring chicken and am coming back to two wheels after three decades. Although my bank account permits an occasional indulgence, I wasn't really interested in a "Superbike" straight away as I wasn't entirely sure if the enjoyment I'd derive from my occasional rides would justify a 6-10 lakh expense. I wanted a bike I could rediscover biking with, slowly, and sell it off after a few months, once I'd regained my confidence (had taken a couple of spills while mounting/dismounting a couple of the rental rides, I'm ashamed to admit ), and then move up the CC/HP ladder.

The NS400 fitted the bill nicely - cost me 2.25 on road in Delhi, and if I were to sell it later this year, the depreciation wouldn't be too much.

Coming to the bike itself.

What I like

The price, obviously. Bajaj has absolutely nailed it. The delta between this and the Speed 400 is around 60k and with the Harley 440 is around 90k. Also, the promise of a better resale value, being a Bajaj, when I do decide on a replacement.
Easier riding posture than the Duke and Aprilia, although the footpeg is just a tad bit more pushed back than I like (the Harley 440 was just ideal, IMHO)
Sprightly handling - doesn't have clip-on handles. and the sharper rake of the front section makes for easy manoeuvring in city traffic.
Enough Horsepower to take on highways and in the hills, without being too intimidating for a re-learner. While I haven't yet clocked a lot of miles, I've taken it up to 100 kmph briefly and it is fairly steady despite some wind blasts. On the other hand, it can ride sedately at 60, if you want it to.
Manageable seat height (807mm) - I don't have to tippy-toe, unlike the other Scramblers and ADVs.
Decent torque at low RPMs - don't have to shift too frequently.
Decent suspension - the USDs up front are really nice, although I'll definitely get the rear monoshock adjusted to a softer pre-load. Don't really feel the bumps on my bums, unlike the RE650s.
Decent Ground Clearance (168mm) - haven't scraped the bottom on any undulations or speed-breakers yet.
Clicky and precise gear shifts - haven't hit a false neutral till now.
Adjustable clutch and front brake levers - I just like fidgeting with the settings.
Low weight (174 kgs) which my rapidly atrophying muscles are thankful for.
Four Ride Modes - they actually work quite well and are fairly well differentiated (although I haven't tried the off-road mode yet).

What I don't like

No radials up front and spongy brakes (organic, I think). Did a little tail-wagging on an emergency braking situation a couple of days back.
The digital display is quite dreadful, to be honest. The information is cluttered and the right-hand dot matrix split section is the worst I have ever seen. And it went all glitchy yesterday while selecting the drive modes and simultaneously killed the indicator/hazard lights. It wouldn't turn off even after the bike was locked and the key removed. Had to take it to the workshop where they flashed the ECU to fix it.
Slightly buzzy/vibey ride at mid RPMs - some minor, but consistent buzzing is felt on the handlebars at 5k-6k RPM, but I'm hoping that'll ease out post the first service. I may just get some aftermarket dampers put on the bar along with a riser.
Bajaj service staff are clueless about the bike. Understandable perhaps, considering that it's a new launch. But giving me incorrect information on tyre pressure at the time of PDI is just inexcusable.

That's about it for now. Will possibly have a longer ownership review in a month or two after I've spent more time on the saddle. The unpredictable weather up north is keeping me from venturing out on longer runs.

Might just sell this sooner than anticipated, now that Royal Enfield has muddied the waters of my mind with the launch of the Guerrilla 450.

A couple of pics attached (including the glitched-out screen).